Day 5: What it looks like when excellence poops in your front yard.

Today's post is not going to be a random prompt. I think life is pretty random sometimes, but ultimately I know that the universe is organized beyond my comprehension.

It's not a common occurance to meet an animal with a career history. Furthermore, its not common to meet an animal with a longer work history than you.

http://youtu.be/Jqp9nWrjDMI

I'm not really familiar with the requirements of a service animal, but the video I posted seems like a fairly adorable representation.

Anywho, I'd like to tell you today about a dog I know. Vidal was a guide dog for my friend Ken. Ken is blind. Ken has always been blind, but he has not always had a guide dog. Vidal was a yellow lab. I met him later in life. He was 10 when we met for the first time. By this point in his life he'd moved all over the country, worked for 8 years, and then retired into the lap of luxury... and by luxury I mean he had to teach the new guide dog the ropes... 

This is all well and good. But sadly, today Vidal passed away. All you need to know now is that Vidal was the dog version of Michael Caine. If you need a reminder:

From here I'd like to tell you a little secret about the past year of Vidal's life. 

Vidal was just settling into retirement in May of last year. He was still a little confused about why this new kid got his job, but he liked the praise he got for absolutely no reason, and not having to wear that vest anymore. 

He adjusted well to spending his days watching Zodi eat trash, reprimanding him and laughing when a few days later he pooped glitter, or assorted less glamorous items. Sometimes he missed being with Ken, but he knew that with his knee injury, he just didn't have another 4 years of work in him. One night he was abandoning his pathetic, "let-me-join-you-on-the-bed" face, and found a comfy corner to coop up in for the night. It felt like as soon as his eyes closed he was jerked awake by a blinking light and the faintest beep. He heard the soft snoring of his human and dog companions. There was a light under the bed. Being the curious protector, he soldier-crawled over to check it out. Once he made it to the flashing light a little hologram popped up out of a scrap piece of paper. A Great Dane looked at him and said, "Mr. Vidal, youre service to your human has been exemplary. At this point in time, your service of a new variety is required. Tomorrow a letter will arrive for you in the mail. I trust you will retrieve the letter before your humans see and compromise their safety. This message will self destruct in 10 seconds." Vidal sat for a moment, and then afraid of what "self destruct" meant covered it with his paws and chin. A "pffffffft" escaped and his head hit the slats of the bed. Ken sleepily said, "Vidal! don't fart under the bed! Get out from under there!" Feeling like this might be a solid opportunity for guilt face, he crawled out and gently rested his head on Ken's hand until he rolled over in an act of defeat and let the dog on the bed.

The next day, apart from the USPS, a letter was dropped through the door. The letter said that the PIA (puppy intelligence agency) required his assistance in a security breach. 

I can't say too much, but I do know that he accepted the position, and because of his duty to this country and Ken, the world is a safer place. And, I wont brag too much, but the guy had razor sharp vision til the day he died. 

Dogs like Vidal don't come along very often, but I can honestly say that he touched my heart in a way that hasn't happened before. Yesterday I laid on the floor with him, rubbed his ears and told him he was a good dog. He raised his eyebrows at me in contest, then very quietly whispered his secrets of time in the PIA. 

My thoughts are with his family, as they mourn and adapt to a life after such a wonderful animal. I hope his soul is at peace: in a place with no cats, and all the bacon he can eat.